Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Post Offices: Closures

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the financial effect on (a) local businesses and (b) the community of the closure of dedicated post office premises on the high street.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010. While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Franchising is an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

McColl's: Post Offices

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Post Office branches are located in McColl's stores; and whether there are plans to locate more Post Office branches in McColl's stores.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 10 December 2018



The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010. While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. How many Post Office branches are located in McColl's stores and whether there are plans to locate more Post Office branches in McColl's stores are an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Insolvency

Bill Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to protect consumers who are owed goods or services from a company which has ceased trading without any apparent residual assets, particularly in cases where the registered owner has a record of previous companies dissolving in similar circumstances.

Kelly Tolhurst: Where a business collapses with no assets there are limited opportunities for consumers to obtain refunds, but the Government has issued guidance to help Insolvency Practitioners to highlight the best options to consumers. Where a consumer has paid by credit card and not received the goods or the services they have paid for there are extra protections where those goods cost between £100 and £30,000. In these cases, the consumer can claim back the total value of their prepayment by contacting their credit card issuing company. Consumers who purchased goods by debit card may also be able to claim through a chargeback scheme as long as they do this within a certain time period (normally 120 days). Further information on chargeback can be found at: http://www.theukcardsassociation.org.uk/individual/chargeback-for-credit-and-debit-card-purchases.asp. In August 2018, the Government announced its intention to extend existing powers to investigate, disqualify and prosecute directors of insolvent companies to also cover former directors of dissolved companies. This includes instances of directors repeatedly dissolving companies and leaving behind debts and other liabilities – often to the detriment of small businesses, consumers and employees.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: EU Law

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many in-flight files of EU legislation exist that effect the policy areas managed by his Department; and which in-flight files of EU legislation his Department intends to implement in UK law.

Sir Alan Duncan: During the time-limited implementation period, EU law will continue to apply in the UK subject to the terms set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. After the implementation period, all laws in the UK will be passed by our elected representatives in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. The Political Declaration recognises that the UK may choose to align with the EU's rules in relevant areas to facilitate trade in goods or security cooperation.In the unlikely event that the backstop were to come into effect, a small fraction of EU rules applying today would apply in Northern Ireland, and EU rules on state aid would apply in the UK. However, as the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration make absolutely clear, we do not want or expect the backstop to be needed – and even if it ever were ever to come into effect, it would be strictly temporary.The Official Journal of the European Union publishes upcoming EU legislation for implementation.

Zuhair Ebrahim Jassim Abdullah Abas

Karen Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has filed the case of Bahraini death-row inmate and victim of torture Zuhair Ebrahim under his Department's torture and mistreatment reporting guidance.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of the case of Zuhair Ebrahim, and we are seeking further information.  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office registers details of alleged torture whenever this comes to the attention of a UK official in the course of their duties, in line with the UK Torture and Mistreatment Reporting Guidance.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies.

Zuhair Ebrahim Jassim Abdullah Abas

Karen Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Bahraini Government on the case of Zuhair Ebrahim who was sentenced to death on 29 November 2018.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors events in Bahrain closely. We are aware of the case of Zuhair Ebrahim and are seeking further information. It is the UK's longstanding position to oppose capital sentences in all circumstances and countries. We continue to make this clear to the Government of Bahrain.

Western Sahara: Peace Negotiations

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the outcomes of UN-facilitated roundtable discussions on Western Sahara, held in Geneva on 5-6 December 2018.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prospects for a resumption of formal, UN-facilitated talks on a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Western Sahara; and what steps the Government is taking to support a resumption of such talks.

Alistair Burt: ​The dispute over Western Sahara is longstanding; finding a lasting and mutually acceptable solution providing self-determination for the people of Western Sahara may take time. Nevertheless, the convening by the UN Envoy, Horst Koehler, of an initial roundtable with the parties and neighbouring states in Geneva on 5-6 December is a positive step. The UK will encourage the participants to remain engaged with Mr Koehler, with a view to making further progress.

Western Sahara: Peace Negotiations

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the UN Security Council’s decision to limit its recent extension of the mandate for the MINURSO peacekeeping mission to six months.

Alistair Burt: ​The UK approved UN Security Council Resolution 2440 in October, which extended the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara's (MINURSO's) mandate by a further six months. The UK supports the work of MINURSO. The six‑month extension reflects the international community's desire for progress on the political track - we remain committed to finding a lasting and mutually acceptable solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Morocco: Immigrants

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Morocco on (a) reports that security forces opened-fire on a boat carrying migrants on 25 September and (b) the two-year prison sentence handed down by a court in Tétouan on 17 October to a man who protested against the incident of 25 September on social media.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of the 25 September incident, in which a Moroccan woman died, and related protests. We raise human rights issues with our Moroccan interlocutors, most recently in October, during a visit by Embassy officials to Al Hoceima. Worldwide, we emphasise the importance of respecting the human rights of migrants.​

Algeria: Politics and Government

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for (a) political stability and (b) the security situation in Algeria of (i) the removal from office of the speaker of the ANP in October 2018 and (ii) the removal of several senior military and intelligence personnel since June 2018.

Alistair Burt: ​We are aware of these changes of personnel, and continue to follow developments in Algeria with interest.

Cosmas Omboto

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the circumstances in which Fr Cosmas Omboto Ondari was killed in the South West Region of Cameroon on 21 November 2018; and what discussions he has had with his Cameroonian counterpart on that issue.

Harriett Baldwin: ​We are aware of conflicting reports of the circumstances surrounding Father Ondari's tragic death, including reports he was killed in a cross-fire between government forces and separatist fighters, as well as allegations that he was killed by Cameroonian security forces . The Cameroonian government have denied responsibility and have launched an investigation. It is vital that a swift and credible investigation establishes the facts. I made a statement following the elections in Cameroon, calling for all parties to engage in a peaceful and structured process leading to constitutional reforms, as previously set out by the President, and to bring an end to the violence. Father Ondari's tragic death reinforces the urgent and imperative need to tackle the underlying issues in the Anglophone regions. The UK continues to work alongside the international community to encourage and support efforts to resolve the Anglophone crisis to achieve long-term stability in the region.

Iran: Terrorism

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the progress of international efforts to secure Iran’s accession to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism; and what recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on such efforts.

Alistair Burt: Accession to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism requires the Government of Iran to pass key pieces of legislation. Some of that legislation – including the Combatting Financing of Terrorism bill – is currently passing through Iran’s legislative system. We are supporting Iran’s efforts to pass the necessary legislation. This was most recently raised during the Foreign Secretary’s visit on 19 November. ​

Iran: Terrorism

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on whether the preconditions for implementing an EU special purpose vehicle enabling European companies to trade with Iran while avoiding US sanctions should include a requirement for Iran’s accession to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.

Alistair Burt: ​The European Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is being designed in full compliance with European Union and relevant national regulatory standards in anti-money-laundering and terrorism-finance. We continue to work with Iran to support their efforts to pass all legislation required as part of their Financial Action Task Force Action Plan.

Elias Faisal Al-Mulla

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations for the release of Bahraini political prisoner, Elyas Faisal al-Mulla on a humanitarian basis, given that he suffers from stage three colon cancer.

Alistair Burt: We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise these with the relevant human rights oversight bodies and also with the Bahraini authorities through appropriate legal channels. We also encourage Bahrain to comply with their domestic and international human rights commitments.

Elias Faisal Al-Mulla

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the legality of the continued detention of Bahraini political prisoner, Elyas Faisal al-Mulla.

Alistair Burt: We continue to closely monitor events in Bahrain and where we have concerns, we raise them with the Bahraini authorities. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body.

Hakeem AlAraibi

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Thai counterpart on the case of Bahraini footballer, Hakeem AlAraibi who is being unlawfully detained in Thailand and at risk of extradition.

Alistair Burt: We are aware that Hakeem Al-Araibi is currently in immigration detention in Thailand. This is a matter for the Governments of Thailand, Bahrain and Australia.

Hakeem AlAraibi

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Government is assisting Australian authorities on ensuring the safe return of Bahraini footballer, Hakeem AlAraibi, who has been granted refugee status in Australia and risks being deported to Bahrain.

Alistair Burt: We are aware that Hakeem Al-Araibi is currently in immigration detention in Thailand. This is a matter for the Governments of Thailand, Bahrain and Australia.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: EU Law

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many in-flight files of EU legislation exist that effect the policy areas managed by her Department; and which in-flight files of EU legislation his Department intends to implement in UK law.

Karen Bradley: During the time-limited implementation period, EU law will continue to apply in the UK subject to the terms set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. After the implementation period, all laws in the UK will be passed by our elected representatives in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. The Political Declaration recognises that the UK may choose to align with the EU’s rules in relevant areas to facilitate trade in goods or security cooperation. The Official Journal of the European Union publishes upcoming EU legislation for implementation. This is publicly available online:https://eur-lex.europa.eu/oj/direct-access.html.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Dover Port: Domestic Visits

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2018 to Question 196873 on Dover Port: Domestic Visits, if he will publish the dates of visits to the port of Dover by his predecessors.

Mr Robin Walker: The previous Secretary of States did not visit the Port of Dover. Ministers in the Department for Exiting the EU with responsibility for ports visited the Port of Dover twice this year; former Minister Suella Braverman on the 14th May and Minister Chris Heaton-Harris on the 24th August.

Department for International Development

Yemen: Famine

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to respond to the risk of famine in Yemen; and if she will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The newly published Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) Report highlights growing food insecurity in Yemen over the past year, with the overall number of food insecure people rising from 17 million to over 20 million (70% of the population). In response urgent action is needed to improve economic conditions and maintain food supply chains into and throughout the country, including Hodeidah port and routes out of the city.To maintain confidence of commercial importers, the UK recently worked with the US, Saudis and Emiratis to agree measures with the Central Bank of Yemen to issue letters of credit to provide foreign currency so that importers can purchase food on international markets. This has also resulted in an appreciation of the Yemeni Riyal, increasing the purchasing power of ordinary Yemenis.The UK is playing a leading role in combating hunger in Yemen through our £170 million in aid this financial year, which will help meet the immediate food needs of four million Yemenis. However, a political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening food security crisis. We therefore welcome the positive outcome of peace talks in Stockholm and continue to encourage both sides to engage constructively and in good faith to agree a political solution to end the conflict.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the conflict in Yemen on that country's economy; and what steps her Department is taking to support the Yemen economy.

Alistair Burt: Yemen’s recent economic crisis is one of the biggest risks threatening to tip Yemen into famine, with the Yemeni Riyal losing over 40% of its value between June and October.The UK’s immediate leadership at the height of the economic crisis in October prevented a worsening of the situation. We worked with the Central Bank of Yemen in releasing $270 million of hard currency, provided by Saudi Arabia, to support importers bringing food staples into the country.We also successfully pressed for the suspension of unnecessary processes introduced by the Government of Yemen in bringing these goods into the country. This has eased the pressure of price increases and temporarily stabilised the currency - the value of the Riyal has since appreciated, rising from 755 YER per USD to 500 YER per USD.However, much more remains to be done. The UK is now working with the Government of Yemen to facilitate greater financial transparency, ensure foreign currency is available to commercial importers and rebuild key financial institutions.

Burma: Humanitarian Aid

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment her Department has made of the level of access by providers of humanitarian aid to (a) Kachin and (b) Shan State in Burma.

Alistair Burt: We are deeply concerned by continued lack of access and reports of violence in Kachin and also northern Shan States, which has led to a further 8,000 people being displaced since February 2018. The UK continues to push for unfettered access at every given opportunity. Most recently, the British Ambassador raised the importance of ensuring humanitarian access in his meeting with the Chief Minister of Kachin State on 3 December.

Department for Education

Educational Institutions: Finance

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) capital and (b) revenue spending was on (i) free schools, (ii) studio schools and (iii) university technical colleges UTCs that (A) have closed and (B) were approved but not opened in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 10 December 2018



There are currently 442 open free schools, 50 open university technical colleges (UTCs) and 27 open studio schools, which will provide over 290,000 places at capacity. Since the start of the free schools programme, 77 free school projects, 4 UTC projects and 5 studio school projects have been cancelled or withdrawn prior to opening. In addition to this, 13 free schools, 7 UTCs and 21 studio schools have closed. Where a free school, UTC or studio school has closed, the Department will always aim to recover assets and identify alternative educational uses for sites. As of December 2018, the Department has identified, or has plans for, alternative educational uses for 29 of the 32 free schools, UTCs and studio schools for which permanent sites were acquired, but not returned to the original site owner upon closure. If an alternative education use cannot be found, the Department retains the option to sell the site for a commercial return, ensuring the best possible return for the taxpayer. The costs, both capital and revenue, associated with these projects are published in the Department’s annual accounts and on GOV.UK.

Interserve

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with Interserve on the viability of existing apprenticeship training following their refinancing talks.

Anne Milton: Holding answer received on 13 December 2018



This is a matter for the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Officials continue to monitor the delivery of apprenticeship provision provided by Interserve to ensure that it meets our quality standards.

Interserve

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions (a) he and (b) the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills has had with the Institute for Apprenticeships on the viability of existing apprenticeship training at Interserve following their refinancing talks.

Anne Milton: Holding answer received on 13 December 2018



The Institute for Apprenticeships has not been involved in any discussions with regard to apprenticeship training at Interserve. This is a matter for the ESFA, and officials continue to monitor the delivery of apprenticeship provision provided by Interserve to ensure it meets quality standards.

Department for International Trade

EU External Trade: Trade Agreements

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many of the trade agreements that the UK has as an EU member with third countries will continue in the event that the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019.

George Hollingbery: The UK will be leaving the EU on 29 March 2019. The Withdrawal Agreement provides the simplest, most efficient mechanism to achieve the continuity in our current trade arrangements with third party countries. If concluded, the EU will notify third countries that the UK is to be treated as a Member State for the purposes of international agreements during the Implementation Period. Many countries have published statements of support for this approach.

World Trade Organisation and Free Trade

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans his Department has to pursue (a) reform of the World Trade Organisation and (b) free trade.

George Hollingbery: The UK is a strong supporter of the rules-based multilateral trading system and reducing the barriers to trade and investment in support of business and consumers. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the bedrock of rules-based free trade and the UK welcomed the commitment made at the recent G20 Summit to support the necessary reform of the WTO to improve its functioning. DIT will continue to champion discussions on WTO reform through the EU, at international fora and in our bilateral engagements, in particular the importance of updating rules on digital trade and ensuring that the WTO dispute settlement system is not undermined. The Government intends to pursue free trade including through an ambitious programme of trade negotiations and enhanced market access. While we are looking to forge new agreements, the Government is also seeking continuity for our existing EU free trade agreements as we leave the European Union. These give us the platform to build and strengthen already-successful trading relationships.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing Associations: Sales

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) value of property disposals by housing associations in each financial year since 2009-10.

James Brokenshire: The Regulator for Social Housing publishes figures on the number of disposals by housing associations in their statistical data return. Data from 2011-12 onwards can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistical-data-return-statistical-releasesThe Regulator for Social Housing also publishes an annual summary of the financial status of social housing providers who own or manage at least 1,000 homes. The Global Accounts sets out information such as private registered providers’ income and costs, the value of their housing assets and the level of borrowing that they have.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/global-accounts-of-housing-providers

Leasehold: Reform

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2018 to Question 189727 on Leasehold: Reform, if he publish the minutes of that meeting.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Secretary of State held an industry roundtable on 8 of November to press attendees on what further action they could take to support existing leaseholders with onerous leases. He reiterated his view that unfair leasehold practices have no place in a modern housing market, and pressed attendees to go further and faster in identifying and making proactive variations to onerous leases in the consumer's favour. He was clear that ground rents which doubled every ten or fifteen years should be a thing of the past and expected information in leases to be clear and transparent to consumers. No formal minutes were distributed to attendees.

Leasehold: Reform

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2018 to Question 189727 on Leasehold: Reform, if he will make it his policy to hold roundtable events on leasehold reform with leaseholders.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Secretary of State has committed to reforming the leasehold sector to make it fairer for consumers. He takes the views of leaseholders very seriously, and is regularly informed of issues from officials. He held a roundtable with leaseholders on 24 May to discuss building safety, and a further roundtable will be arranged in the New Year to discuss our wider leasehold reforms.

Social Services: Children

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with local authorities on the delivery of children’s services.

Rishi Sunak: The Secretary of State and the Minister for Local Government regularly hear from Councils across the country to discuss the delivery of services, including Children’s Social Care.The Department leads on the national Troubled Families Programme, which aims to find better ways of working with complex families with multiple high-cost problems. Ministers regularly visit participating authorities and hear from the families and children who are supported by the Programme, in which we have committed £920 million from 2015-2020.

Housing: Young People

Giles Watling: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help young people get on the housing ladder.

Kit Malthouse: Government-backed schemes have supported over half a million households into home ownership since 2010. The Help to Buy: Equity Loan has helped nearly 184,000 households purchase a new-build home from its launch in 2013 until June 2018 and 81 per cent of sales were to first time buyers. The recent Evaluation of Help to Buy: Equity Loan from 2015 to 2017 found that 63 percent of first-time buyers were under 35 years old. Our reforms to Stamp Duty, introduced at Budget 2017, have already benefited 180,500 people who pay the tax.But we understand there is more to do. The revised the National Planning Policy Framework places an expectation on local authorities that on major sites, 10 per cent of affordable housing provision should be dedicated to home ownership products, such as shared ownership, rent to buy or starter homes.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Empty Property

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) value of empty homes in the Ministry of Defence estate in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The number and estimated value of void properties in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found in the table below. WalesAnnington LeasedMOD ownedOtherTotal Total voids24473254Average estimated value per property£127,000£85,000Not held£212,000Total Estimated Value£30,988,000£595,000Not held£31,583,000EnglandAnnington LeasedMOD ownedOtherTotalTotal voids8,2227043839,309Average estimated value per property£157,000£236,600Not held£393,600Total Estimated Value£1,290,854,000£166,566,400Not held£1,457,420,400ScotlandAnnington LeasedMOD ownedOtherTotalTotal voids01,056601,116Average estimated value per property£0£161,000Not held£161,000Total Estimated Value£0£170,016,000Not held£17,016,000Northern IrelandAnnington LeasedMOD ownedOtherTotalTotal voids09020902Average estimated value per property£0£82,0000£82,000Total Estimated Value£0£73,964,0000£73,964,000 A percentage of the Department’s housing stock needs to be void when it is between occupants, for essential maintenance and repair and to ensure that the Armed Forces are able to move units and individuals around the country as required. We have previously estimated the management margin required as around 10%. Approximately half of the void properties in the table have been identified for disposal, or are being retained to ensure homes are available to meet rebasing plans as part of the Defence Estate Optimisation Programme, including the rebasing of around 4,000 personnel from Germany. In addition, the Department is reducing the number of voids by sub-letting properties on the open market. Some 3,217 void properties are awaiting letting.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department has used paint containing (a) hexavalent chromium and (b) chromium VI in servicing vehicles.

Stuart Andrew: Hexavalent chromium, which is also known as chromium VI, has been used by the Ministry of Defence in vehicle servicing. Research, concluding in early 2019, is currently being undertaken to investigate alternatives.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Will Quince: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which cadet units are in each constituency; and what the sponsoring Service is of each of those units.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The requested information is provided in the attached spreadsheet which was compiled in September 2018.This information is not routinely collected by the Ministry of Defence, and was only compiled in preparation for Cadets Day in 2019. The data was drawn from a number of sources so the information is not definitive.



Cadet units in each UK constituency
(Excel SpreadSheet, 137.41 KB)

Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions: EU Law

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many in-flight files of EU legislation exist that effect the policy areas managed by her Department; and which in-flight files of EU legislation his Department intends to implement in UK law.

Alok Sharma: The UK remains a member of the EU until we leave, with full rights and obligations of membership. This includes transposing EU legislation into UK law. During the time-limited implementation period, EU law will continue to apply in the UK subject to the terms set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. After the implementation period, all laws in the UK will be passed by our elected representatives in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. The Political Declaration recognises that the UK may choose to align with the EU’s rules in relevant areas to facilitate trade in goods or security cooperation.

Universal Credit

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of universal credit claimants living in households without internet access in (a) Brent Central and (b) England.

Alok Sharma: This information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Our Universal Credit Claimant Survey, published on 8 June 2018, found that 98 per cent of claimants did claim online, and the majority of those said they found the claim process overall to be straightforward. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-survey For those claimants requiring help, assistance is available through Assisted Digital Support (part of our Universal Support offer). This provides help, support and skills claimants need to make and maintain their digital account online. All jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. For those that are still unable to access or use digital services, or are not able to travel, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helpline. In exceptional circumstances, a home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making and maintaining their claim.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Air Pollution: East Midlands

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve air quality in the East Midlands.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We have consulted on our new world-leading Clean Air Strategy, which includes new and ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies to help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively. The Government has put in place a £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions. The £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality does not set allocations by areas and future funding awards cannot be prejudged. But some examples of spending under this plan in the East Midlands are as follows:   £495m of this funding is focused on supporting local authorities across England with the most significant air quality challenges; including Derby City Council, Bolsover District Council, Nottingham City Council, and Leicester City Council, all of which are developing local plans to ensure compliance with NO2 limits in the shortest possible time.   On 20 November, we approved Nottingham’s plan to bring forward compliance with NO2 concentration limits and issued a Ministerial Direction requiring the council to implement the plan, accompanied by £1 million of funding from the Clean Air Fund. Nottingham City Council has received further funding from the Government to retrofit 171 buses and to convert its own fleet. Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council been awarded grants totalling £3.1 million to support the implementation of early measures to improve air quality.

Home Office

Immigration: EU Nationals

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report, EU Settlement Scheme Private Beta 1, published on 31 October 2018, what assessment he has made of the reasons why 12 per cent of applications were waiting for a decision as at 30 October 2018; and what the average length of time has been to reach a decision in each of those cases.

Caroline Nokes: The remaining cases that are yet to be decided are awaiting responses from applicants where we have contacted them for further information to confirm the leave that they qualify for. We recognise that applicants may lack documentary evidence for assorted reasons, we are committed to working flexibly with applicants to help them evidence their continuous residence in the UK by the best means available to them.Caseworkers will be able to exercise discretion in favour of the applicants where appropriate, to avoid unnecessary administrative burdens and delays. In addition, we have created a new helpline specifically for the settlement scheme and are working with applicants to help them avoid any errors or omissions we are looking for reasons to grant applications, not refuse them.In Private Beta Phase 1, the average time taken on all decisions was just under 9 calendar days, with the fastest application decision being made within 3 days.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Integrity Initiative

Chris Williamson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has (a) funded, (b) awarded contracts to and (c) procured the services of the Integrity Initiative in each financial year since 2015-16.

Mr David Lidington: The Cabinet Office has provided no funding, contracts or procured services from the Integrity Initiative.

Treasury

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of Transferable Tax History on the incentives for buying companies to increase oil and gas production and generate further revenues.

Robert Jenrick: The Government, with technical advice from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) and representations from the industry via the trade body Oil and Gas UK, assesses that there will be instances when companies hoping to purchase mature fields will be in a position to extract more value from the field through investment than their current owner. However, there is a barrier to these deals taking place due to the uncertainty around whether the buyer will obtain equivalent decommissioning tax relief. Transferable Tax History (TTH) overcomes this uncertainty, enabling companies to complete asset deals on mature fields and allowing new investment to take place. Without TTH, transactions for mature assets are expected to be less common and the increased revenue from production is not realised. More details can be found in the published policy paper, “Oil and gas taxation: transferable tax history and retention of decommissioning expenditure”.

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effect of trends in the level of oil prices on the cost to the public purse of the Transferable Tax History.

Robert Jenrick: Transferable tax history (TTH) is expected to increase tax receipts from the oil and gas sector by £65 million between tax years 2018-19 and 2023-24. This is based on forecast oil and gas prices as set by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility. A higher oil price will encourage investment in oil and gas extraction, facilitating more transactions for oil and gas fields and increasing the use of the TTH mechanism. Therefore, TTH would help increase revenues from oil and gas through increased production. A lower oil price will reduce the incentive for investment and decrease the likelihood that mature oil and gas fields will be sold. In this scenario the yield from new investment as a result of TTH will be lower. However, a low oil price is unlikely to result in TTH having a negative impact on tax receipts.

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has put in place to maintain job security for workers on North Sea oil rigs when Transferable Tax History is implemented.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the stability and security of jobs for workers on North Sea oil rigs under Transferable Tax History.

Robert Jenrick: Transferable tax history will encourage new investment into the North Sea and prolong the productive life of the basin. This will help protect the 280,000 jobs across the UK that are supported by the industry.

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of limiting Transferable Tax History claims to incoming companies’ investment in (a) infrastructure, (b) maintenance, (c) retraining and (d) methane reduction.

Robert Jenrick: Restricting the use of transferable tax history (TTH) in this way will make it an unattractive tool for new entrants to the basin. TTH has been carefully designed to put new entrants in the same tax position as current licensees. Creating a two-tier system where new entrants must meet stricter criteria than existing operators to receive tax relief will discourage much needed new investment into the basin.

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the net flow of revenue has been between the Treasury and North Sea oil and gas companies over the last three years.

Robert Jenrick: Government tax revenues from North Sea Oil and Gas companies over the last three years are reproduced in the table below. More details can be found in Table 11.11 in the publication “Statistics of Government revenues from UK Oil and Gas production”. Total Government revenue, including oil licence fees, is published by the Oil and Gas Authority at “Table: Government revenues from UK oil and gas production 1964/65-2017/18”   2015-162016-172017-18Total tax revenues (£m)-2-3501,188Licence fees (£m)716562Total Gov Revenue (£m)69-2851,250  Link to publications: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/government-revenues-from-uk-oil-and-gas-production--2https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/media/5138/tax_table_nov_2018.pdf

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of Transferable Tax History and the Paris climate agreement.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the UK’s remaining 7.5 billion barrels of discovered undeveloped oil and gas resources can be exploited if the UK is to contribute to meeting the climate change goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

Robert Jenrick: In the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5˚C, all the scenarios reflect an ongoing role for some fossil fuel use, recognising the need to maintain a supply of energy to meet global demand. The UK is currently a net importer of both oil and gas and our domestic supply is forecast to decline further in the future. Managing the declining production of our relatively small domestic basin, whilst reducing our overall consumption of fossil fuels is compatible with the UK’s obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.

Offshore Industry: Taxation

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has established a decommissioning fund to ensure funding for the transferable tax history policy.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the costs of the transferable tax history policy in the ten years after April 2024.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Part 2, paragraph 5d of Schedule 14 on Clause 36 of the Finance Bill 2018, what assessment he has made of the potential of the decommissioning costs doubling over the life-cycle of transferable tax history.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what sums the Government (a) received in tax revenues from North Sea oil production and (b) paid out in decommissioning-related tax breaks in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Robert Jenrick: Transferable tax history is forecast to increase tax receipts from oil and gas production by £65m between tax years 2018-19 and 2023-24. It would therefore be unnecessary to set aside additional funding to implement this policy. Wider decommissioning tax relief is provided to companies undertaking decommissioning activities through deductions against current or future taxable profits and, in some situations, repayments of previously paid tax. The UK oil and gas industry is expected to pay an additional £13bn of tax over the next 5 years, net of tax repayments for decommissioning tax relief. The Government publishes OBR verified forecasts of future tax receipts for the 5 year period up to year 2023/24. Government internal projections for TTH beyond 2023/24 show it will continue to be revenue positive for the Exchequer. Para 5 (d) of Schedule 14 to the Finance Bill (No.3) 2017-19 determines the “uplifted decommissioning cost estimate”. This refers to the maximum possible amount of tax history that the seller can transfer to a purchaser under a transferable tax history election. It does not represent the actual tax relief that the purchaser will receive from making a claim for transferable tax history. The amount of transferable tax history that a purchaser can claim will always be limited to the activated amount of transferable tax history. The activated amount is defined as the extent by which decommissioning costs of the transferred field exceed the tracked profits of the transferred field. If a purchaser is able to make a claim for transferable tax history they cannot receive a larger repayment than the seller would have received for undertaking the same decommissioning work. The current estimate of the exchequer’s liability for decommissioning costs is therefore unaffected by the introduction of transferable tax history. Government tax revenues from North Sea Oil and Gas companies over the last three years are reproduced in the table below. More details can be found in Table 11.11 in the publication “Statistics of Government revenues from UK Oil and Gas production”. Tax repayments are made to ring-fenced oil and gas companies if the assessment of tax due from an earlier period is revised downwards. This can be the result of many factors, including decommissioning tax relief. Estimates of total tax relief arising from decommissioning expenditure will be published by HMRC in Estimated Costs of Tax Reliefs in early 2019.   2015-162016-172017-18Total tax revenues (£m)-2-3501,188 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/740260/Table_11.11__Sept_2018_.pdf

Revenue and Customs

Julie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to respond to the fourth report of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Sub Committee report, The Powers of HMRC: Treating Taxpayers Fairly, HL paper 242, published on 4 December 2018.

Mel Stride: The Government will respond to the sub-Committee’s report in due course and in the usual way.

Health Professions: Tax Avoidance

Julie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) doctors and (b) nurses who will be subject to the 2019 disguised remuneration loan charge.

Julie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people (a) affected and (b) made bankrupt by the 2019 disguised remuneration Loan Charge.

Mel Stride: The charge on disguised remuneration (DR) loans is targeted at artificial tax avoidance schemes where earnings were paid via a third party in the form of ‘loans’. These loans were paid in place of ordinary remuneration, with the sole purpose of avoiding income tax and National Insurance contributions. In reality these loans were never repaid. When taking into account the loan they received, loan scheme users have on average twice as much income as the average UK taxpayer. The Government estimates that up to 50,000 individuals will be affected by the 2019 loan charge. HMRC has published a breakdown of individuals affected by industry. HMRC data indicates that fewer than 3% of those affected work in medical services (doctors and nurses) and teaching. Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/loan-schemes-and-the-loan-charge-an-overview/tax-avoidance-loan-schemes-and-the-loan-charge#who-affected HMRC has simplified the process for those who choose to settle their use of avoidance schemes before the charge arises, so that those earning less than £50,000 a year and no longer engaging in tax avoidance can agree a payment plan of up to five years without the need for detailed supporting information. There is no maximum period within which an overall settlement can be agreed, and HMRC will deal with individual cases appropriately and sympathetically.

Health Professions: Tax Avoidance

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) doctors and (b) nurses that will be subject to the 2019 Loan Charge.

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people will be made bankrupt as a result of the 2019 Loan Charge.

Mel Stride: Disguised Remuneration schemes are contrived arrangements that pay loans in place of ordinary remuneration with the sole purpose of avoiding income tax and National Insurance contributions. When taking into account the loan they received, loan scheme users have on average twice as much income as the average UK taxpayer. HMRC data indicates that fewer than 3% of those affected work in medical services (doctors and nurses) and teaching. Further information can be found in HMRC’s issue briefing: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-issue-briefing-disguised-remuneration-charge-on-loans/hmrc-issue-briefing-disguised-remuneration-charge-on-loans. HMRC is working hard to help individuals to get out of tax avoidance for good. HMRC does not want to make anybody bankrupt and very few cases ever reach that stage. HMRC has simplified the process for those who choose to settle their use of avoidance schemes before the charge arises, so that those earning less than £50,000 a year and no longer engaging in tax avoidance can agree a payment plan of up to five years without the need for detailed supporting information. There is no maximum period within which an overall settlement can be agreed, and HMRC will deal with individual cases appropriately and sympathetically. Since the announcement of the 2019 loan charge at Budget 2016, HMRC has agreed settlements on disguised remuneration schemes with employers and individuals of over 650 million pounds. More than 90% of this amount was collected from employers, with less than 10% from individuals.

Farmers: VAT

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many farmers have been excluded from the agricultural flat-rate VAT scheme since its introduction in each region of the UK in each year since the scheme's introduction.

Mel Stride: The table attached lists the known exclusions (refusal of entry into the scheme or subsequent removal from the scheme) from the Agricultural Flat Rate Scheme, broken down by region and calendar year.These figures are based on management information and have not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.Figures are not available for the period covering 1993-2007.



Table attached due to formatting issues on Q&A
(Word Document, 12.73 KB)

Farmers: VAT

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many agriculture flat-rate scheme questionnaires have been sent to participants in the scheme in each region of the UK.

Mel Stride: HMRC may request additional information from businesses applying for, or participating in, the Agricultural Flat Rate Scheme (AFRS). Data is not available relating to all of these information requests. Between 2011-2015 HMRC undertook a specific review of eligibility for the AFRS, during which 43 questionnaires were sent to agricultural businesses participating in the scheme requesting additional information. 41 of these businesses were based in Northern Ireland, and 2 in Scotland.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Broadband and Mobile Phones: Rural Areas

David Duguid: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to improve broadband and mobile phone coverage in rural areas.

Margot James: The Government’s policy is to ensure world-class broadband connectivity across the UK, including in rural areas, and includes the following steps which have been designed to improve broadband and mobile phone coverage in rural areas. £1.7 billion of public money is being invested to support vital improvements in superfast broadband coverage across the UK, including in rural areas. In December 2017, we met our target to extend superfast coverage to 95% of UK premises, and we expect to reach at least 97%. . We have also put in place legislation to create a new Universal Service Obligation giving every household and business the right to request a broadband connection of at least 10 Mbps by 2020, to ensure no-one is left behind. In addition, the Better Broadband Scheme provides additional voucher funding to UK premises that do not have access to an affordable broadband service delivering at least 2Mbps. This will provide a safety net until the USO is in place by 2020 We want to provide world class digital connectivity that is gigabit-capable, reliable, long-lasting and widely available across the UK. We have set ambitious targets - for 15 million premises to be connected to full fibre by 2025, with nationwide coverage by 2033. In the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, we set out our long term national strategy to meet these targets, and to ensure that rural and remote areas are not left behind. Critical to delivering this ambition, is the “outside-in” approach set out in the review, which seeks to ensure that the harder to reach, mostly rural areas which are not viable for commercial investment - are addressed at the same pace as the rest of the country. The £200m Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) programme announced in the Budget on 29 October 2018 marks the first step in this “outside-in” process and will prioritise the delivery full fibre to premises in rural and remote areas. The RGC builds on the Local Full Fibre Networks programme which includes a £190 million Challenge Fund designed to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations across the UK. In addition, Defra has also allocated £30 million of grant funding from the Rural Development Programme for England, targeted at helping to connect businesses with superfast broadband in hard to reach rural areas. On Mobile services, the Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has good quality, consistent mobile connectivity where people live, work and travel. Mobile coverage has significantly improved over recent years, with 87% of UK landmass having a 4G signal from at least one operator (compared to 78% in 2017). My Department is also working across Government, and with others, to ensure delivery of our manifesto commitment to secure 95% geographic coverage of the UK by 2022. Alongside this work, we welcome the opportunity that Ofcom's proposed 700MHz auction presents to improve mobile coverage across the UK, including in rural areas.

Gambling: Children

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information he holds on the number and proportion of (a) children who gamble by buying scratchcards and (b) problem gamblers among 16 to 18 year olds who buy scratchcards.

Mims Davies: The legal age for playing National Lottery scratchcards is 16. The Gambling Commission’s Young People & Gambling 2018 report surveyed 2,865 children aged 11-16 years old in schools in England, Scotland and Wales. It reported that 2% of those aged 11-15 years old (45 individuals) had spent money on scratchcards in the past 7 days. Of the 11-15 year olds who have bought National Lottery products (National Lottery tickets or scratchcards) in the past, 62% said a parent or guardian handed over the money at the till. Data from the Health Survey for England and Scotland 2015 and Problem Gambling Survey Wales 2015 indicates that none of the 16-17 year olds surveyed who played scratchcards were classified as problem gamblers. This is from a sample of 246 16-17 year olds, of whom 53 who had bought scratchcards in the last 12 months. The Gambling Commission also carries out regular telephone surveys, which again found that there were there were no problem gamblers amongst 16-17 and 16-18 year old scratchcard players surveyed. However, in both age groups sample sizes were small, and findings should be treated with caution.

Digital Technology: Skilled Workers

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) businesses and (b) organisations he has met to discuss the effect of the fourth industrial revolution on skills needs; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James: As referenced in the 2017 Digital Strategy, in order “for the UK to be a world-leading digital economy, that works for everyone, it is crucial that everyone has the digital capabilities they need to fully participate in society.” We are working with a wide range of partners across all sectors. This includes working with organisations carrying out research into the skills that are needed by the current and future workforce including Ecorys, Nesta, The Royal Society, the Oxford Internet Institute and Burning Glass amongst many others. We have also established the Digital Skills Partnership, bringing together organisations from across all sectors to improve digital skills and capability levels across the skills spectrum. Organisations on the DSP’s Board include Google, Microsoft, BT, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, AbilityNet, Good Things Foundation, Tech Nation, the Federation of Small Businesses, Microsoft, and Nominet. A priority for the Digital Skills Partnership is to work with regional stakeholders, including SMEs and charitable organisations, and to incentivise the creation of Local Digital Skills Partnerships so that regional partners can better understand the skills needs of their local economies and communities. Additionally, the Government’s National Retraining Scheme is an ambitious, far-reaching programme to drive adult retraining is driven by a key partnership between business (Confederation of British Industry), workers (Trades Union Congress) and Government, to set the strategic direction of the Scheme and oversees its implementation.

Copyright: Cross Border Cooperation

Mr Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps have been taken to maintain cross-border cooperation on copyright after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The Government’s White Paper on the future relationship sets out that future cooperation on intellectual property would provide important protections for rightsholders, giving them a confident and secure basis from which to operate in and between the UK and the EU. As we establish our future partnership with the EU, we aim to agree continued cooperation on intellectual property, where there is mutual benefit for the UK and EU. We are open to exploring whether this should include certain cross-border copyright mechanisms and arrangements, which will need to be the subject of negotiation. The UK recognises and values the importance of the creative industries to the UK economy. Over and above our future arrangements with the EU, the UK is a member of many international treaties and agreements protecting copyright. This means that the majority of UK copyright works (such as films, music, books and photographs) are protected around the world, irrespective of our relationship with the EU.